


Little Treasures

by queen_scribbles



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-16 08:54:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21268373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queen_scribbles/pseuds/queen_scribbles
Summary: For prompt fill 102: Godlike





	Little Treasures

**Author's Note:**

> For prompt fill 102: Godlike

Nikora’s pregnancies were always difficult, and this one was no exception. But they were always worth it in the end, she reassured herself, rubbing one hand over her swollen belly as she watched her children play in the ocean’s shallows. Amira was with her; hard as the carrying and births were, the children were all strong and beautiful.

“You will be, too, my little treasure,” she murmured as the baby kicked. “Just like your brother and sisters.” She hummed to herself and returned to cooking supper and the baby gave a final roll and settled for the time being.

The children’s faint giggles and cries of joy rose in pitch to unmistakable greeting, and Nikora looked up from roasting fish to see Téni emerge from the ocean. He dropped the bag of pearls he’d collected as their girls tackle-hugged him from each side, nearly knocking him back into the surf. He roared with laughter Nikora could hear from the house and started up the beach with the girls still hanging from his neck, one arm around each of them. They made it halfway before Hana’s grip slacked and she dropped, giggling, to the sand. Nikora watched with a smile as Nyree responded by tightening her grip and burying hr face in the side of her father’s neck. Hana barely hesitated before falling in step with Matiu, playfully bickering over who should carry the bag of pearls. They all reached the house on a tide of laughter that swept Nikora along when it reached her.

“If the day’s labors did not have me famished, dear heart, that aroma surely would,” Téni said, grinning as he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

“Ekera, dearest, you’re dripping fit to put out the fire,” Nikora returned with a laugh. She pulled him back for a true kiss despite the half-hearted scold, causing Nyree to shriek in childish disgust and drop out of the way. “It’s almost ready, go clean up,” she admonished all of them. The children obeyed, but Téni lingered for another kiss, his hand rubbing gently over her belly.

“Was today any better?” he asked, pausing to grin as the baby kicked toward his hand. “Feisty little one.”

“Somewhat,” Nikora nodded, removing the fish from the cooking fire. “Ekera, I’ll feel better when the midwife returns from the south beach, though.”

“Your time’s a month off,” Téni reassured her, cupping her cheek in one hand, still damp with salt water. “She’s due back week after next. I’m sure it’ll be fine, dear heart.”

“The girls came early,” Nikora reminded him.

“And Matiu was late,” he countered. His hand slipped to the back of her neck, gently caressing the skin. “Trust the Sky-Mother. She’s been good to us so far.”

“So has Ngati,” Nikora chuckled, resting her forehead against his cheek and gesturing to the heavy bag of pearls.

“So she has,” Téni agreed. He kissed her temple. “But Amira is responsible for our greatest treasures, I say.”

As if on cue, the trio of dark-haired, freshly-washed children trooped back into view, clamoring for dinner.

“The treasures are hungry,” Nikora murmured, smiling, and stepped back. “Your turn, dearest. Clean up while I satisfy our little piranhas.”

“Ekera, I would be safer back in the ocean,” Téni agreed with a laugh as he left to follow her wishes.

Dinner was, as always, a chaotic affair, the children all talking over each other about the adventures of the day, until Matiu mentioned his friend Taika getting in trouble for throwing rocks at “the new folk”.

“Who?” Nikora frowned. She hadn’t traveled far from the house in weeks and was woefully behind on news.

“The new folk, Mama,” he repeated, with greater emphasis. “Well, some are elves, not folk. And little furry people even shorter than Nyree.”

“They arrived a couple weeks ago,” Téni explained. “They set up near the piers, seem peaceful enough, so it’s good Taika didn’t get away with being rude.” He raised a brow at Matiu.

“But they dress weird and call the gods by funny names,” Matiu protested.

“Faith is what matters,” Nikora said gently. “Not the names they use. If they are earnest and reverent, I’m sure the gods still hear them.”

“They certainly have the favor of at least_ some_,” Téni said with a nod. “There seem a fair few devoted to the Sky-Mother,” he commented, casual tone belied by the look he sent her.

“So we have something in common,” she murmured, hand on her belly as the baby twisted and rolled. If this latest little treasure decided to arrive before the midwife returned, maybe one of them could help. “Ekera, it’s always better to dwell on common ground than differences. Life is much kinder that way.”

In the way of children, while Matiu was quiet to mull over her words, Hana piped up. “I foun’ a shell almost big as my _head_!” and the three of them were off again. Nikora smiled as she listened to their chatter. They truly were a treasure, and she couldn’t wait to add another.

\---

Her predictions proved true, and the first sharp pains of labor came only a couple days later. Fortunately, the children were all home at the time, so she sent Matiu to try and find Téni, Nyree for Nikora’s sister, and Hana to the new folk, hoping their devotion to Amira would mean one of them could help. The pains came sharper and more frequent, and Nikora clutched her feathered necklace while she prayed Amira would let help arrive before the baby did.

It was only a few breaths later that Hana burst back in, all but dragging a dark-skinned folk woman behind her.

“Idrìsa,” the woman introduced herself, gaze flitting around the house before landing on Nikora with a comforting smile. “I hear from your girl you are early?”

Nikora curled forward at a particularly strong labor pain before gritting out, “A full month.”

“Well,” Idrìsa gently touched the feathered band around her bicep, “let’s help this over-eager little one. By Hylea’s grace, everything will be fine.”

Nikora had a brief moment to guess ‘Hylea’ was their way of invoking Amira and heartily agree before several labor pains hit so close together she nearly curled into a ball. Over-eager little one, indeed. “Ekera, she is ready to see the world,” she muttered, the words rising to a screech of pain just as Nyree returned with her aunt Ruiha just behind.

“I say, this must be another girl, sister,” Ruiha teased, tying back her hair as she moved to help. She and Idrìsa exchanged introductions, shooed the girls out of the house, and got to work.

Teasing aside, the babe was so eager to join life’s chorus, she--or he--was already crowning by the time Téni burst through the door. Nikora caught his gaze and thrust out her hand toward him as another pain wracked her.

He took it without hesitation. “Ekera, this one’s impatient.”

“A common sentiment,” Nikora ground out as she bore down under another urge to push. She squeezed his hand, their grips slick with sweat and sea water both, and let her head fall against his shoulder.

“You’re almost there,” Ruiha encouraged, brow creasing in a brief frown.

“What, what?” Nikora demanded, trying to sit up.

“Don’t worry,” Ruiha soothed, pushing her back. “She is bigger than you would think, coming so early.”

Something... off-put lingered in her eyes, but Nikora was too distracted to press the issue. A few more pushes, and the baby slid from her into Idrìsa’s waiting hands. She turned away to clean the child as Nikora fell back against Téni chest, muttering under her breath. Combined with Ruiha’s troubled look, it was very concerning, and Nikora felt dread coil in her chest.

“Is... something wrong?” she panted. “Where’s my baby?”

“Not wrong,” Idrìsa said, tone awed. “She’s _beautiful_.” She turned with a smile to place the loosely wrapped infant in Nikora ’s arms. “Your daughter.”

Tired as she was, Nikora still sent Téni an ‘_I told you so’ _smirk as she took the child. She was indeed a beautiful; with skin swirled blue-green like Téni and Hana’s, hair dark red like Nikora ’s own-

And feathers. Mingled with her hair, crossing the span of her shoulders and stretching down to her elbows, the infant had small, jewel-blue_ feathers _sprouting from her skin.

“What-” Nikora ’s panicked question died in her throat as the baby cried and nuzzled after milk. Even stunned, her instincts took over and she couldn’t refuse her child. The baby’s nose felt... odd as she suckled. Longer, thinner than the others when they were born. Harder.

“She is a blessing from Hylea,” Idrìsa said fervently, nodding toward Nikora’s necklace and clutching one of her own fetish charms. “The Sky-Mother has seen your devotion and chosen to reward you. She has favored your child with her touch!” She shook her head. “Never before have the gods so honored kith.” 

Nikora and Téni stared at each other for a long moment. Both knew how the _different_ could be treated; Taika and his rocks came to mind, and their dinnertime conversation just a few nights prior. If a child was so antagonistic toward other kith for such simple difference of culture, what would their daughter face, looking like this? 

“Ekera, are you sure?” Ruiha demanded, crossing her arms. “Faithful they may be, but why would Amira consider... that a reward? To mangle their child before she even leaves the womb? Mark her for mockery?”

“Or honor,” Idrìsa countered, holding up one finger like the village school teacher when Nikora was a girl and first learned of the gods. “Only time will tell.”

“I’m sure it will,” Ruiha said brusquely before turning to Nikora. “Do you want me to let the other children in?”

Nikora nodded. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Ruiha cast a look at the infant as if that should be answer enough, but did stick her head outside to call Matiu and the girls in. They crowed close, all eager for a look at their new sister.

“What’s her name?” Hana asked.

“She looks like a bird,” Matiu gawked.

“She’s beautiful,” Nyree cooed, stroking the baby’s feathered arm.

“Yes, she does, yes, she is, and we have yet to name her,” Nikora said with a smile. Immediately, all three chimed in with a dozen suggestions, but she looked to Téni, still staring at their newest treasure. He’d not said a word since seeing her, and Nikora was concerned he shared her sister’s view. “Dearest? What name do you like?”

Téni cleared his throat, gently ran his fingers over the infant’s mingled hair and feathers, and smiled at her. “Aria. A beautiful new voice to live life’s song.”

“Aria...” Nikora tried, and the baby stopped nursing and opened her large dark eyes, one tiny fist punching the air. “I love it, and it appears she does, too. Aria it is.”

Aria let out a soft coo, nestled close, and fell asleep. There was no telling how the rest of the village would accept her--if they would--but for now, Nikora was content. And very much wanted to follow her daughter’s example into slumber.

\---

The first time feathers fell from among Aria’s hair, Téni saved them in an oiled charm pouch. He wore it when he went diving, and the pearls he found that day rivaled the beauty and worth of royal treasures.

Their family stayed happy, healthy, and grew. More children followed Aria, though none bore a god’s touch as she did. These pregnancies proved easier than the previous ones had, the babies all just as healthy and beautiful.

Gradually, the village accepted Idrìsa’s view: strange as she might look, this avian child was a sign of Amira’s favor. Nikora was relieved and grateful, so often the _strange_ was labeled _bad_ and cast out, but her daughter was welcomed and thriving.

She hoped if the gods had chosen to so honor others in the world, their offspring fared as well as her little treasure.


End file.
